Changes Suggested at New Bedford

Changes Suggested at New Bedford

The city council of New Bedford, Mass., recently authorized an investigation of the fire department so far as the purchase of apparatus and supplies is concerned. Several hearings have been held, and it appears that the principal trouble is that the fire committee of the city council wishes to usurp the duties of the chief and his assistant and purchase everything the department requires. The city solicitor has decided in favor of the city council committee on fire department. In making any purchases at all, excepting under direction of the committee, the chief and the board of fire engineers have exceeded their lawful privileges, according to the decision, and the confusion that has arisen is the result of such unrebuked action extending over a period of years. The precedent was mistaken for the law. The opinion of the city solicitor ends this phase of the controversy. In the course of the hearings the suggestion has been made that the fire engineers and the committee on fire department shall be legislated out of existence and the fire department managed by a chief appointed by the mayor.

The city council of New Bedford, Mass., recently authorized an investigation of the fire department so far as the purchase of apparatus and supplies is concerned. Several hearings have been held, and it appears that the principal trouble is that the fire committee of the city council wishes to usurp the duties of the chief and his assistant and purchase everything the department requires. The city solicitor has decided in favor of the city council committee on fire department. In making any purchases at all, excepting under direction of the committee, the chief and the board of fire engineers have exceeded their lawful privileges, according to the decision, and the confusion that has arisen is the result of such unrebuked action extending over a period of years. The precedent was mistaken for the law. The opinion of the city solicitor ends this phase of the controversy. In the course of the hearings the suggestion has been made that the fire engineers and the committee on fire department shall be legislated out of existence and the fire department managed by a chief appointed by the mayor.